2019-10-12
The official visit of the Head of Georgian Government to the Republic of Azerbaijan started with a face-to-face meeting with President Ilham Aliyev at Zagulba Palace.
It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan is the destination of my first visit in the rank of Prime Minister, because I am confident that this visit will reassure our friends and enemies alike that there are no issues between Azerbaijan and Georgia that cannot be solved in a brotherly, friendly manner, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated during the meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Special emphasis during the meeting was placed on the key directions in the strategic partnership between the two countries, important issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation, and joint projects of regional importance implemented by Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The Prime Minister thanked the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for warm hospitality.
"I remember well our previous meetings, frank and open conversations, from which I gained much experience. Azerbaijan and Georgia are closest friends and partners. Indeed, our partnership has outgrown regional boundaries to advance to the international level, especially in the economic dimension, in the areas of energy carriers, transport, and trade. Georgia and Azerbaijan are committed to supporting each other in various international formats, which is of utmost importance, of course, and we are thankful to you for supporting Georgia's territorial integrity. Especially noteworthy are the warm, close people-to-people contacts between our citizens which stem from centuries-old historical and cultural interaction. I am convinced that our visit, dialogue and in-depth discussions, will, as usual, turn out to be extremely productive, once again to prove to our friends and enemies alike that Georgia and Azerbaijan can always find the right words and ways to solve any problem," the Prime Minister stated.
The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan congratulated Giorgi Gakharia on taking office as Head of Georgian Government, and thanked for holding his first foreign visit to Azerbaijan.
"Mister Prime Minister, you have been to Azerbaijan many times before, and I cherish the memories of our meetings. I am glad that your first foreign visit in the capacity of Prime Minister is held to Azerbaijan, which demonstrates that Georgia and Azerbaijan are close friends and partners. For us, Georgia is the closest friend, neighbor, and partner. History and geography, as factors that bind us, are of immense importance for developing our relations. Since regaining independence, our relations have developed to cover numerous areas. We support each other's territorial integrity, and we enjoy successful cooperation within the frameworks of numerous international organizations. I am truly excited to see the successful development of our economic relations-Azerbaijan is one of the largest investors in Georgia. The cooperation between our countries, especially in the fields of oil, natural gas, and transport, has transcended regional boundaries to enter the international arena. Especially important are people-to-people contacts. The Azerbaijanis living in Georgia and the Georgians living in Azerbaijan play an important role in the development of these relations," Ilham Aliyev emphasized.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, in summarizing the visit, emphasized that the cooperation between the two countries has outgrown bilateral and regional dimensions to acquire significant international context.
"President Aliyev said that history and geography bind us together-yes, they do bind us, because geography does not divide friends and partners, but binds them together. We all understand that this cooperation must be effective, productive, and based on the interests of our countries. It is extremely important-especially today, in light of the current regional developments-that the two countries conduct effective cooperation to ensure peace, stability, and security," Giorgi Gakharia stated.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, as part of his official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, also held meetings with Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan Ogtay Asadov and newly appointed Prime Minister Ali Asadov.
The high-level meetings reaffirmed Azerbaijan's strong support for Georgia's territorial integrity, and emphasized that such visits demonstrate the importance of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The meeting's participants included Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, and Head of the Azerbaijan-Georgia Friendship Group, Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Zviad Dzidziguri.
Within the framework of his official visit to Azerbaijan, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia honored the memory of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev and his spouse, Zarifa Aliyeva. He also laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame Memorial Complex at Martyrs' Lane.
Prime Minister's Press Office